Another newcomer
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 3
Another newcomer
Hey everyone. I am 19 and about to start off my sophomore year at the University of Colorado. After a Dave Matthews concert last night, I finally realized that I have a problem with alcohol and I need to do something about it. I really didn't think it was possible for younger people to be alcoholics, but now I am seeing that I myself am one. I really don't like who I become when I drink and how many lives I affect. I am so sick of waking up in the morning and having to call people and apologize for whatever it is that I had done the night before. So i guess this is a first step for me.
Brit
Brit
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: El Paso, Tx
Posts: 5,862
Hi CoBrit!
Welcome to SR! Be grateful you've had that realization early. I wish I knew it would develop into a 20 year problem at 19! Glad your here, you'll find a great deal of support and friendship here.
Welcome to SR! Be grateful you've had that realization early. I wish I knew it would develop into a 20 year problem at 19! Glad your here, you'll find a great deal of support and friendship here.
Rest In Peace
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Southern Cal
Posts: 408
Brit,
What Chy said. It's good that you realize this early. You dont want to make all the mistakes some of us have had to go through to get to the point
your are at. You have great courage in taking the steps early.
Your mind may try and trick you now that youve posted here. Ignore those
thoughts. The fact that you are here means you NEED to be here!
Keep talking and listening
Love and prayers
Bob
What Chy said. It's good that you realize this early. You dont want to make all the mistakes some of us have had to go through to get to the point
your are at. You have great courage in taking the steps early.
Your mind may try and trick you now that youve posted here. Ignore those
thoughts. The fact that you are here means you NEED to be here!
Keep talking and listening
Love and prayers
Bob
Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: The Mohave Desert
Posts: 2,306
Brit
So grateful that you are questioning your use of alcohol now instead of later when it can be so much harder to get a handle on.
There is alot of support and understanding here and you might want to look into AA offered through U of C.
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffai.../external.html
So grateful that you are questioning your use of alcohol now instead of later when it can be so much harder to get a handle on.
There is alot of support and understanding here and you might want to look into AA offered through U of C.
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffai.../external.html
Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Milan Italy
Posts: 47
Hello Brit
I'm 18 and I didn't think that young people couldn't be alcoholic or addicts, I realized that only after I realized I couldn't stop drinking and smoking pot. I'm glad you are here, at meetings in my country there are no young people and sometimes this makes me feel like a stranger.
I wish you the best
Hugs
Irene
I'm 18 and I didn't think that young people couldn't be alcoholic or addicts, I realized that only after I realized I couldn't stop drinking and smoking pot. I'm glad you are here, at meetings in my country there are no young people and sometimes this makes me feel like a stranger.
I wish you the best
Hugs
Irene
Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Beaver, WA
Posts: 1,346
Welcome, we've been waiting for you.
(((((((Brit 
))))))))
Welcome Home! I've seen plenty of younger people recognizing their alcoholism earlier and earlier the past few years. Its Great! Tis a wonderful sight to see young people not even of drinking age yet picking up coins for years of sobriety recently. You will surely meet some of them, and some of us older farts as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
Alcoholism is no respector of gender, economic status, culture, intellect, or even AGE for that matter.
:friday:
So, I will suggest what I always suggest to anyone with a drinking problem that is reaching out. Go to some face to face(F2F) AA meetings, find an A.A. Sponsor(hopefully full Circle & Triangle), get involved in an A.A. Home Group, trust God, clean house, and work with others by carrying the A.A. message.
Kiss Heart of Spirit In Love & Service,
Three Legs
:tri
))))))))Welcome Home! I've seen plenty of younger people recognizing their alcoholism earlier and earlier the past few years. Its Great! Tis a wonderful sight to see young people not even of drinking age yet picking up coins for years of sobriety recently. You will surely meet some of them, and some of us older farts as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
Alcoholism is no respector of gender, economic status, culture, intellect, or even AGE for that matter.
:friday:
So, I will suggest what I always suggest to anyone with a drinking problem that is reaching out. Go to some face to face(F2F) AA meetings, find an A.A. Sponsor(hopefully full Circle & Triangle), get involved in an A.A. Home Group, trust God, clean house, and work with others by carrying the A.A. message.
Kiss Heart of Spirit In Love & Service,
Three Legs
:tri
Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: st. mary's city maryland
Posts: 6
hey brit,
i'm glad to have read your post, because i am in a very
similar situation. i'm 20 and about to start my senior year
at school in maryland, and i also find it hard to find people
our age. i am pretty anxious about going back to school
with all of my old drinking and smoking buddies, but hope
that AA can help me out throughout the year. it helps
me sometimes to think about how little other than drink
and smoke i actually did at school,and to realize that there's
a lot more to college than that. and though it seems that
college is centered around partying, i really don't think that
most of the people i partied with did it in the same way- for
example, i doubt that most of them dealt with the paralyzing
depression i did as a result of drinking all the time. being young,
we are both blessed and cursed- blessed because we figured our
problems out at an early age, but cursed because it is ten times
easier for us to think of a reason to get drunk than it is for others
in the program because we haven't lost as much in the tangible
sense as others (wives, cars, jobs, children,etc). but i know that
my depression was so deep and confusing that i couldn't even mesh
with even my best friends when i was sober, and that i haven't felt
this emptiness so severely since i've stopped drinking and smoking pot.
i'm not trying to give advice or anything (i've only got three months,
so i'm not exactly a wisened oldtimer), i'm just expressing what i've
felt, etc in the hopes that it might help you out in someway. it's hard
sometimes to be able to relate to people who aren't in our situation,
but i've learned an incredible amount from people who are old enough
to be my parents or grandparents, and they know what they're talking
about. well, i hope that you're doing alright and that maybe i helped you out in some way. just PM me whenever, i'd like to hear from you. if it helps,
there's a 45 year old guy in my group and he's been sober for 25 years, which gives me some hope that this can be done at a young age.
-karl
i'm glad to have read your post, because i am in a very
similar situation. i'm 20 and about to start my senior year
at school in maryland, and i also find it hard to find people
our age. i am pretty anxious about going back to school
with all of my old drinking and smoking buddies, but hope
that AA can help me out throughout the year. it helps
me sometimes to think about how little other than drink
and smoke i actually did at school,and to realize that there's
a lot more to college than that. and though it seems that
college is centered around partying, i really don't think that
most of the people i partied with did it in the same way- for
example, i doubt that most of them dealt with the paralyzing
depression i did as a result of drinking all the time. being young,
we are both blessed and cursed- blessed because we figured our
problems out at an early age, but cursed because it is ten times
easier for us to think of a reason to get drunk than it is for others
in the program because we haven't lost as much in the tangible
sense as others (wives, cars, jobs, children,etc). but i know that
my depression was so deep and confusing that i couldn't even mesh
with even my best friends when i was sober, and that i haven't felt
this emptiness so severely since i've stopped drinking and smoking pot.
i'm not trying to give advice or anything (i've only got three months,
so i'm not exactly a wisened oldtimer), i'm just expressing what i've
felt, etc in the hopes that it might help you out in someway. it's hard
sometimes to be able to relate to people who aren't in our situation,
but i've learned an incredible amount from people who are old enough
to be my parents or grandparents, and they know what they're talking
about. well, i hope that you're doing alright and that maybe i helped you out in some way. just PM me whenever, i'd like to hear from you. if it helps,
there's a 45 year old guy in my group and he's been sober for 25 years, which gives me some hope that this can be done at a young age.
-karl
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 3
Thanks so much for the support
I just wanted to thank all of you for all the support. Coming from strangers it means so much. I am still very nervous to go back to school because I know i will be right in the middle of all the drinking again. I am looking into some AA things out in colorado so hopefully those will help out. I just hope I can be strong against all the pressure people put on me to drink. I told a few of my friends out at school that I was looking into getting help, and some of them were supportive, but others thought it was kind of funny and didn't really think I was serious. It's going to be a challange, but like every other challange in my life, I want to overcome it. Please keep sending words of encouragement!
Little Girl Found
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: North Andover, MA
Posts: 567
Welcome!
I too, realized at a pretty young age (I was about 23) that I had a serious problem with alcohol, but I really didn't want to do anything about it until recently (I just turned 27). My family and especially my friends sorta turned the other cheek when it came to that.
I know now that it's *my* life that I have to worry about and not what everyone else thinks about how I'm living it. Along with that, I realize that while not totally impossible--it's very very difficult to quit using on your own. This is a great place to be with a lot of needed support from people who totally understand where you're comming from. It's not such a scary thing once you realize that you're not alone.
Keep posting--I hope to get to know you better!
Danielle
I too, realized at a pretty young age (I was about 23) that I had a serious problem with alcohol, but I really didn't want to do anything about it until recently (I just turned 27). My family and especially my friends sorta turned the other cheek when it came to that.
I know now that it's *my* life that I have to worry about and not what everyone else thinks about how I'm living it. Along with that, I realize that while not totally impossible--it's very very difficult to quit using on your own. This is a great place to be with a lot of needed support from people who totally understand where you're comming from. It's not such a scary thing once you realize that you're not alone.
Keep posting--I hope to get to know you better!
Danielle
Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Beaver, WA
Posts: 1,346
Brit:
Having the connections made before you get there will help. I have some numbers of AA folks in Boulder & Denver who might be able to hook you into a young peoples group. Which Campus you heading to?
((((((((Brit)))))))) Kiss Heart of Spirit
In Love & Service,
Three Legs
Having the connections made before you get there will help. I have some numbers of AA folks in Boulder & Denver who might be able to hook you into a young peoples group. Which Campus you heading to?
((((((((Brit)))))))) Kiss Heart of Spirit
In Love & Service,
Three Legs
Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Vincennes, IN
Posts: 32
Brit,
Hi, Welcome to recovery. I am also 19 so I know how it feels to be young and in recovery. I have found a home group and they treat me just like anyone else and I am by far the youngest. They all see me as the younger sibling that they just can't help but love. You will find once you get into the fellowship of AA that they will become like family. I hope you doing good. I am on day 4 for the third time. Recovery is where I need to be because without it I am a horrible person. You will learn with time. Good luck and keep it one day at a time.
Lots Of Love,
Jess
Hi, Welcome to recovery. I am also 19 so I know how it feels to be young and in recovery. I have found a home group and they treat me just like anyone else and I am by far the youngest. They all see me as the younger sibling that they just can't help but love. You will find once you get into the fellowship of AA that they will become like family. I hope you doing good. I am on day 4 for the third time. Recovery is where I need to be because without it I am a horrible person. You will learn with time. Good luck and keep it one day at a time.
Lots Of Love,
Jess
Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Vincennes, IN
Posts: 32
Brit,
If you go to www.na.org they have a search for the town you are looking for and meetings in and around that town.
Lots of Love
Jess
If you go to www.na.org they have a search for the town you are looking for and meetings in and around that town.
Lots of Love
Jess
Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 8,709
Here's one to get you started... Or click here...
AA Boulder
Convenient Meeting Locator at this link.
BOULDER COUNTY CENTRAL OFFICE
5375 WESTERN AVE. SUITE 7
BOULDER CO 80301
303 447-8201
5375 WESTERN AVE. SUITE 7
BOULDER CO 80301
303 447-8201
AA Boulder
Convenient Meeting Locator at this link.
Paused
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: OKC
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by ColoradoBrit
Thanks so much everyone! I am headed to CU boulder, so if you could give me some numbers for support groups there I would really appreciate it.
-Brit
-Brit
Welcome to SoberRecovery and please keep coming back. It does get much better... I hope you stick around and see for yourself.
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